I don't really sleep much that night. This is the first time I've actually been around people for a whole day since this all started, so it's pretty weird. And I also don't really trust them yet.
Well, Seth seems okay, but he could be putting on an act. Kacey's okay.
Doyle, on the other hand, is slightly creepy. He and I just stare at each other for most of the night. I don't think he likes me very much. I fed you, man. R.E.S.P.E.C.T. the meal-bringer.
In the morning, we ration the food and water. We can only eat one pack of crackers a day. Crackers one day, a candy bar the next. One bottle of water a day. They have a paper cup to pour Kacey's water into.
I give Seth and Kacey a toothbrush. Doyle said he didn't want one by shoving the one I handed him into Seth's hand. I tell them it's the middle of October, according to my calendar.
I let them know I have a compass. And that's when Seth brings up something very important.
"You remember those creeps that we escaped from?" He says to me as we walk side by side, Kacey on his back, her head resting on his shoulder; she's sleeping.
"How could I forget?" I shudder at the thought of them.
"I heard them talking about a safe haven, just north of here."
"Really?" I didn't know there were such things anymore.
"Yeah, they were discussing whether or not to try to raid it for supplies, but decided against it," Seth says, hoisting Kacey up a little as she slides down his back.
"What about this 'safe haven'?" I'm intrigued.
"Maybe we could go there. They were talking about how there was medicine and shelter," Seth looks at me, hope filling his eyes, "Maybe the people there could help Kacey."
"I don't know," I shake my head, "It could be a trap."
"I know, but, we kind of need a plan," He says.
"Well, you'll have to ask Doyle, but I guess we could go look at it from a distance and see if it seems okay."
Seth nods, "Okay," he glances back at Doyle, "and one of us can ask him later when we stop."
I look back at Doyle, and he looks extra grumpy. Yeah, I think it'll be a better idea to leave him to his thoughts.
+++++
Judging by the sun it's around noon when we stop. We've been on the road since just after dawn, and I'm already exhausted.
We had crackers yesterday, so I pull a candy bar from my backpack, break it in half, and hand the two pieces to Seth and Kacey.
I break another bar and offer the slightly-larger part to Doyle. He looks at it for a second, looks at me, then reaches out and snatches the smaller half from me. Before I can protest, he stuffs it in his mouth, then walks a short distance away and sits on the grass.
We're on a hill, beside a back road that surprisingly doesn't have a thousand cars on it. The view from where I stand is magnificent. You know, if you like a bunch of random mountains filled with a wide array of autumn colors, of course. I sure do.
The wind is blowing, and the temperature has dropped since yesterday. The sky is beginning to get overcast, and I'm just hoping it won't rain.
I look at Seth. "Why did he do that?" I know Doyle loves to eat, and I don't think he likes me, so why would he let me have the bigger half?
"He always does stuff like that," Seth says to me as he finishes his half of the candy, "When we started running out of food, he rationed it for just me and Kacey. I made him take some, of course, but he wouldn't take much. He did the same thing with the water. When you showed up, Kacey and I had had water the day before, but he hadn't had any for about two and a half days. I'd give him some, and he'd keep giving it to Kacey, tell her he'd already drank. Hadn't eaten for about a week, either."
"Oh," is all I say. That explains why he looks so much worse than Seth, "He's been doing that since the whole thing started?"
"Yeah, pretty much," Seth says, looking over at Doyle, who is still staring out across the hills, "Off and on, depending on how much food or water we have. I don't know how to thank him. He won't let me, anyway."
"You could cut his hair, like you did your sister's," I suggest, joking.
Seth laughs, "He wouldn't let anybody near him with a pair of scissors to save his life."
"I didn't think so."
Kacey starts coughing horribly, so all of Seth's attention is turned to her. I decide to go over and ask Doyle what he thinks about going to this supposed "safe haven" Seth told me about.
I sit down beside him, but he doesn't acknowledge me. "Hi," I say, looking out across the hills. Geese fly is a neat V in the darkening sky, "Nice view, huh?"
He still doesn't say anything and keeps staring straight ahead.
I clear my throat, feeling slightly awkward. "So....Seth and I were talking, and he wants to go to this place up north – some safe haven or something."
Doyle watches the geese in the sky. "Yeah, Finley."
"Is that what it's called – Finley?"
"Mm-hmm," Doyle replies. He's still watching the geese, though they are now just tiny specks on the horizon. "We need to get better food."
"I know," I agree, "But it appears that we are temporarily in the middle of nowhere."
Doyle stands up and picks up his pack. I stand, too. "And we need to find shelter," he says, "I can feel the rain coming."
"Okay," I say, and we rejoin Seth and Kacey.
We head down the road once again and lapse into silence.
Gradually the clouds get darker, heavier. The wind picks up. It gets even colder. And we're still in the middle of nowhere.
I have no clue what time it is anymore, because I can't see the sun. It's probably around mid-afternoon when I feel the first raindrop.
It starts to sprinkle. We're under some trees right now, but they don't provide enough shelter. Seth sets Kacey down, hurriedly removes his coat and helps her put it on. He pulls the hood over her head, and starts to lift her back onto his back.
Doyle, who was behind me, passes me and stops Seth. Without a word, he removes his pack, then strips off his plaid shirt and hands it to Seth. He walks away, ignoring Seth's protest. Now Doyle only has a thin T-shirt.
Seth stands there, holding the shirt in his hands.
Doyle turns around and glares at him. "Put it on."
Seth shakes his head. "Are you crazy? You'll freeze."
Doyle doesn't answer, he just hoists the backpack onto his shoulders and starts walking down the road.
Seth reluctantly puts the plaid shirt on and lifts Kacey onto his back. Doyle walks ahead of us now.
I jog up to him and start tugging on the Velcro straps that hold the blankets in place.
He stops. "What the hell are you doing?" He snaps at me.
"Saving you from getting a miserable cold," I reply, getting the blankets loose and stuffing one in his hands, "Wrap up in that." I start putting the other two back.
He's still just holding the thing.
"Go on," I say as I fasten the straps back in place.
Glowering, he slips off the pack, hands it to me, and puts the blanket around his shoulders. He snatches the pack and stalks away. Man, that pack is heavy.
"Ungrateful," I mutter. Seth has caught up with me.
"Thanks," he says, "He never listens to me. Must be your pretty face."
I roll my eyes. "Oh please. Kacey's face is much prettier than mine."
The only part of her face I can see under the hood of Seth's coat is her mouth, and it's stretched wide in a grin.
+++++
My large amount of dumb luck keeps the heavy rain at bay until we reach an abandoned car.
We all cram inside. Seth and Kacey are in the driver's seat, and I'm on the passenger side. Doyle settles into the backseat, tossing his pack in first.
We're not exactly soaked, but we're still wet enough to be freezing. Kacey seems okay, but she has two coats on – one of which is waterproof.
My coat is sort of waterproof, but my legs and feet are freezing. Seth and Doyle are both shivering, Doyle more than Seth because Seth had Kacey's body heat to help him stay warm.
Hmm................................................body heat..........................................aha!
"Why don't we all get in the backseat?" I suggest, "Then we'd be closer together, and we'd keep each other warm."
"S-sounds good to m-me," Seth agrees, and we both start crawling into the back.
Doyle doesn't look all too excited about our sudden migration into his "territory", but just crams himself against his pack. I left my backpack in the front seat. Seth reaches forward and helps Kacey back to us.
And there we sit, all wedged together, and extremely uncomfortable. But we are getting warmer, which was the whole point of this venture.
Doyle moves his pack into the driver's seat, which gives us a tiny bit more room. I'm stuffed between him and Kacey. He's got himself pressed against the door, as far away from me as possible. His arms are wrapped around himself, and he's shaking. But I don't move any closer. If he gets too cold, he'll have to come to me.
I put my arms around Kacey and pull her into me. She's shivering, but feels hot. I think she might have a fever. I look over at Seth, and in the almost-darkness I can see his face lined with worry.
It seems like we've been there for hours before Doyle's voice finally breaks the silence.
"W-we need-d better sh-shelter," his teeth are chattering.
"We can't find it right now," I say.
"I c-can," He retorts.
I look at him. "You're already freezing. Let's just stay here, and when the rain stops, then we'll go look for shelter. Together. So that way if we come across any dead things, we'll actually have a chance of surviving."
"She's right," Seth backs me up.
I'm surprised Doyle doesn't argue any more, but he just leans forward and stares at his feet. Maybe he's too cold. Or maybe it is my pretty face! Haha, no. I saw myself in the rearview mirror when I first got in the car – it's most definitely not that. My face is now covered in scrapes, it's pale, sunken-in, and I look really old for my age. My once soft, wavy hair is now nothing but a rats' nest. I might get Seth to cut it for me.
Kacey is asleep. Seth looks like he's about to drift off. Honestly, I'm exhausted. But I don't want to take my eyes off of Doyle. I'm afraid he'll try to leave if I do. And I still don't trust him completely, because I don't think he trusts me.
A little while later, he asks if we can at least eat a little something.
"All right," I say, leaning forward to reach my backpack. I hear a zipper, then the car door opens.
I turn around. "Doyle...."
He's holding a flashlight and his knife.
"Don't – !"
But then he's gone, running off into the cold, rainy night. Boys really are stupid. And he's a cold, wet idiot.